Programs to help individuals stop smoking have shown disappointing results since many quitters resume smoking within six months. A closer study of motives, personal styles and subjective cognitive schema that maintain smoking behavior might provide useful clues to helping individuals stop smoking permanently. Male patients in a VA Medical Center were given a short battery of tests and an interview about their smoking behavior. Heavy smokers (N=24) and light smokers (N=33) were compared in an investigation of orality in cigarette smokers. Heavy smokers appeared pleased with their smoking, tending to view smoking as a tranquilizer in times of stress, and as a form of self-reward. Lighter smokers viewed their smoking less positively and as less addicting. In spontaneous story productions, light smokers produced more references to smoking and oral content than heavy smokers. This increase in oral response may reflect the lighter smokers' feelings of deprivation of oral satisfaction, while the heavy smokers totally gratified this need. Neither group reported a deprived childhood. (NRB)